Tuning instrument.



No. 813,769. PATENTED FEB. 27, 1906.

I N. BRYANT.

TUNING INSTRUMENT.

APPLIOATIOK FILED M10, 5, 1902.

O O G O G 9 O B 1 O O Q 9.. O Q

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2'7, 1906.

Application filed December 5, 1902. Serial No. 133.9%.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NILEs BRYANT, a citi- I zen of the United States,residing at the city of Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and Stateof Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in TuningInstruments, of which the following is a specifica- I The objects of myinvention are to provide an improved device for use in tuning pianos andlike instruments which 1s convenient to use and by the aid of which apiano can be properly tuned by a person unskilled in the art second, toprovide an improved device for use in tuning musical instruments and thelike which is light and compact and simple the storage-chamber by asuitable passage T.

and economical to produce.

Further objects will definitely appear in the detailed. description tofollow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and meansdescribed in the.

following specification.

A structure embodying the features of my invention is clearlyillustrated in the accomi panying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, in which I Figure 1 is a front elevation view of astructure embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan viewof the structure appearing in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is ,a detail transversesectional view taken on a line corresponding to line A B of Fig. 2, theoperating means being shown in connection therewith. Fig. 4 is a frontelevation view of a modification corresponding to the view shown inFig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modification corresponding to theview shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail transverse sectional view takenon a line corresponding to line A B of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail planview corresponding to that shown in Fig.- 2, a portion of the casingbeing broken away to show the arrangement of the parts. Fig. 8 is an-endelevation view of a connecting tip I. i ig. 9 is a detail'longitudinalsectional view of the same.

All apparatus in Referring to the lettered parts of the drawings, Iprovide a reed block or boX D, having a series of thirteen chambers Ktherein to receive the reeds P. Openings G are provided for each ofthese chambers toward the rear end thereof for the passage of air to thereeds. The reeds are placed in position in the chambers G and aface-plate C, which is provided with a series of air delivery passagesF, adapted to register with the series of chambers in the block D. Thisface-plate is detachably secured in position by screws II, so

that, if desired, the same can be readily removed. The plate C is alsoprovided with a series of passages E, which open into the passages F.This vents the passages and permits the unobstructed vibration of thereeds, and clear and even tones are secured.

I provide a bellows O of the usual or any desired construction which isarranged to deliver air through the passage S into the rubberstorage-chamber M or directly to the reed-chambers. Acheck-valve m isprovided to prevent the same passing back into the bellows as it isoperated. A flexible tube J is secured to the delivery-tip N, leadingfrom The flexible tube J is provided with a tip piece I, adapted to beinserted into the airdelivery passages F in the face-plate of thereed-block.

In using my improved device it is evident that the tip I can be insertedin any of the openings F desired and that the bellows can be operated bythe foot of the operator, and, the hands of the operator are free toadjust the instrument. By means of the elastic storage-chamber M an evencontinued pressure is secured, so that the tones produced are clear andeven and may be sustained at an even pitch as long as desired.

In the modified structure shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 instead of thelateral passages E in the face-plate I separate the face-plate from theblock, and so provide a slot R, which embraces all of the reed-chambers.By this arrangement of passages the air can be supplied through anelastic tube or any other means and the tones will be clear. If desired, the air can be supplied by the operator blowing the tube J,although of course much better results are secured if the bellows withthe elastic air-chamber is used, as the tone can then be sustained at aneven pitch for an indefinite length of time.

I preferably provide my improved reedblock with thirteen reeds, as thesecan be arranged to include what is known to musicians as the equaltemperament, the several reeds being adjusted to produce the exact tonesdesired. What is known to musicians as the equal temperament consists ofthirteen notes within the scope of one octave. Piano-tuners usually laythe temperament within the octave F in the middle of the keyboard,beginning with the note called middle C, which is first tuned to atuning-fork or pitch-pipe. F below middle C is then tuned, not to aperfect fifth, but slightly sharp, until there results three beats infive seconds. Next the fourth below middle C, which is G, is tunedslightly fiat of C until there results one beat per second. All fifthsand fourths must be tuned likewise slightly flat or imperfeet. By sodoing the result is a perfect octave when the temperament is finished.This is necessary to produce harmony in all the octaves when completelytuned, which requires a delicate musical sense and the most carefulattention. My invention includes the whole equal temperament with thereeds so equal ized as to give the operator an absolute guide.

As before stated, with the air-passages and vents so arranged the reedscan be blown with a rubber tube, using the foot-bellows, leaving bothhands of the operator free to accomplish the proper adjusting. The toneproduced can be sustained at an even pitch practically as long asdesired when the bellows is used and a sufficiently long time for allordinary work when blown by the mouth of the operator. Experiments with.this device demonstrate that a proper vibration cannot be securedwithout the presence of the vent E or some other provision being made topermit the vibration of the reeds. By stopping the vent and blowing intothe tube a very irregular tone is produced, if any, and very frequently,owing to the pressure against the reed, vibration is entirely impeded.

I have illustrated and described my improved device for use in tuningmusical instruments in the form preferred by me on account of itssimplicity and economy in construction and convenience in use. I amaware, however, that the structure can be very greatly varied withoutdeparting from my invention, and I desire to claim the same broadly aswell as specifically.

I am aware thatin the construction of organs a pipe is sometimes made tospeak by boring a hole through the boot. This, however, appears not inthe instrument for tuning, but in the organ itself. I believe I am thefirst to produce a structure disconnected and separate from an organ andorgan-pipes which has the features specified in my claims. I do notclaim, broadly, the idea of venting a pipe in an organ. There is no pipeadapted to produce resonance in the instrument I have here produced.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a reed blockor box D, having reed-chambers therein; openings G for said chambersarranged toward the rear thereof; reeds suitably supported in saidchambers; a face-plate for said reed-block having airdelivery passages Fopening into said reedchambers; vent-passages E in said face-plateopening into said passages F; a bellows; an elastic storage-chambertherefor; a flexible delivery pipe connected to said storagechamber,having a tip adapted to be inserted into said air-delivery assages F,all coaeting for the purpose speci ed.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a reed blockor box D having reed-chambers therein; openings G for said chambersarranged toward the rear thereof; reeds suitably sup orted in saidchambers; a face-plate for said reed-block having airdelivery passages Fopening into said reedchambers; vent-passages E in said face-plateopening into said passages F; a suitable airsupply; and a flexibledelivery-tube adapted to be connected to the air-delivery passages ofsaid air-chambers, all coacting for the purpose specified.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a reed blockor box D, having reed-chambers therein; openings G for said chambersarranged toward the rear thereof; reeds suitably supported in saidchambers; a face-plate for said reed-block having airdelivery passages Fopening into said reedchambers; vent-passages E in said face-plateopening into said passages F; suitable means for delivering air underpressure to the said air-delivery passages of said chambers, all 00-actin for the purpose specified.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a reed blockor box D havin reed-chambers therein; openings G for said chambersarranged toward the rear thereof; reeds suitably supported in saidchambers; a face-plate for said block having air-delivery passages F forsaid reed chambers; ventopenings connected to said passages F; abellows; an elastic storage-chamber therefor; a flexible delivery-pipeconnected to said storage-chamber, having a tip adapted to be insertedinto said air-delivery passages F, all coacting for the purposespecified.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a reed blockof box D having reed-chambers therein; openings G for said chambersarranged toward the rear thereof; reeds suitably supported in saidchambers; a face-plate for said reed-block having air-passages F forsaid reed-chambers; vent-openings connected to said passages F; anairsupply; and a flexible delivery-tube adapted to be connected to theair-delivery passages of said air-chambers, all coacting for the purposespecified.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a reed blockor box D having reed-chambers therein; openings G for said chambersarranged toward the rear thereof; reeds suitably sup orted in saidchambers; a face-plate for sald reed-block having airdelivery passages Ffor said reed-chambers;

ro vent-openings connected to said passages F;

suitable means for delivering air under pressure to the saidair-delivery passages of sald chambers, all coacting for the purposespecified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my [5

